Whoever said that GOOD BOY BAD BOY was a classic in the making? It was never meant to be. All the film aspired for was to bring on some humor in those two hours that a viewer spends in an auditorium.

Well, it almost succeeds, though how one wished that the penultimate 20 minutes were gripping enough and the production values were better.

Simply said, the film just doesn’t seem to be coming from the house of Subhash Ghai’s MUKTA ARTS. Whether it is costumes, sets, cinematography or an overall canvas, it is not even up to the standards of medium budget films made in 3-5 crores. Appearing to be a project that was conceptualized, brought to floors but later wrapped up just because it had once started, there is just no ‘visual apeal’ which could brought higher standards to the film.

Now after the bad news, let’s bring on some good news. The fact is that director Ashwini Chaudhary almost manages to pull it off with all the limitations and the shoe-string budget he had in hands. Zero expectations factor also helps since what you get to see, especially in the first half of the film, is a bonus.

Right from the introduction of the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’ boys [and girls] in the college, the film maintains a decent pace as it kick starts. The setting is simple, in fact straight out of the early 90s, when films set in campus were in abundance. Emraan Hashmi is bad because he doesn’t study and gets into frequent brawls. Tusshar Kapoor is good because all he does he studies.

Still, Emraan is not out and out bad because he doesn’t tease or flirt anything and everything wearing a skirt. His eyes are set for only one girl in college [Isha Sharvani] who happens to be a good girl. On the other hand there is a ‘bad girl’ who has her hots for the good boy Tusshar.

And then the college principal [Paresh Rawal] decides to bring in some discipline and make sections for good, average and bad students. The only hitch here being, Emraan finds himself in good section while Tusshar steps into the ones for bad…all by accident.

If one looks at the basic plot of the film, there isn’t much to be told actually. Also, as an audience you do not look much towards twists and turns. What is expected though are some laughs and there are aplenty, especially in the first half. If one doesn’t quite get into pseudo-analysis mood and doesn’t take shame in laughing along at the juvenile proceedings on screen then GOOD BAD BOY BAD is not a bad offering at all.

Along with the laughs, somewhere in the background Ashwini also tries to make a statement about the educational system though he keeps the tone light lest it adds on as a heavy brick to the film’s relatively simpler narrative.

Humor in the film remains consistent though towards in the end it all becomes quite clichéd and predictable. The fight sequence between Tusshar and a group of college baddies is amateurish, badly choreographed and completely unwarranted while Emraan winning the quiz in spite of toppers all around him, is hard to digest. It may well have been, if only it would have been written well.

What goes completely against the film is the way film carries a certain look throughout. With dull frames and no color correction done to enhance the appeal, it just doesn’t appear like a multiplex product. Sets, both indoors and outdoors, are tacky while the worst is left for the end where the stage for the quiz is not even up to the standards that some quiz shows on Doordarshan may boast of.

Leading ladies Isha and Tanushree do not have much to do in the film though they try to do well in whatever limited they had for the offering. Isha carries a plain Jane look throughout though one would have expected Tanu to have worn better costumes to carry forward her character that is required to be hot.

Paresh Rawal is good and it is nice to see him in a role that doesn’t require him to make audience laugh throughout the film’s duration. He is good in a role which mainly carries emotional appeal though his frequent chat with himself in front of a mirror starts annoying after a while.

This brings one to good boy Tusshar and bad boy Emraan who play roles which didn’t demand any histrionics from them. Both do well in justifying their presence in the film and act naturally, especially when it comes to comic portions. It’s a tailor-made role for Tusshar and he is much better than what he was in his recent release KYA LOVE STORY HAI. Emraan carries the comic flavor to his act well and is natural with his boyish charm.

Songs, though not quite impressive when heard as standalone audio, are decent to watch, especially ‘Tu Thaam Le’. On the flip side the competition song ‘Milo Jo Tumhe Batayein’ could well have been the highlight of the film but surprisingly is the dullest part. Pray how could such a listless track with a damp choreography win the ‘Best Dance’ award in the film?

As a film GOOD BOY BAD BOY is not the kind that one would take home and remember much about. Nevertheless, on a lazy evening, it can be given a comfortable watch to smile along, laugh a little and forget as soon as the end titles roll.